Better Than Your Chocolate Glaze

My brother Alex claims the right to title all his recipes, Better Than Your... (BTY).  I have eaten his food enough not to argue.  Enjoy his recipe!

Chocolate Bon-bons

Oh these little chocolate treats come straight from heaven!  They are so delicious!  My mom makes these for Christmas sometimes, and her Mom made them, too.  These are so amazing.  My mom does not put nuts on hers, but until there is a whole almond on top, I just don't feel like these are complete. 

Oreo Truffles

These are the easiest little bundles of chocolate-y joy to make!  With just three ingredients... how could it get any easier?  I tasted these at a baby shower (Thanks Ashley D.) and then I had to try them for my Christmas goodies. I dipped half of the batch in white chocolate (I think it's so pretty with the dark oreo color) and in semi-sweet chocolate (milk chocolate was a little too sweet, I thought).

Chocolate Turtle Brownies

This recipe is an adaptation from a little Nestle recipe pamphlet.  With chocolate, caramel and pecans it is extremely rich and chocolate-y, as I am sure you can imagine.


12 oz. semi-sweet choc. chips; divided
1/2 c. butter, cut- up
3 eggs
1 1/4 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. chopped pecans
caramel ice cream topping or *12 caramels.

Melt 1 c. choc. chips and butter in microwave for 1 minute; stir.  Melt at additional 10-20 second intervals, stirring between, until smooth.  Stir in eggs.  Add flour, sugar, vanilla, and soda (will be very thick) Spread batter in 13x9 baking pan.  Sprinkle remaining chips and walnuts.  Bake in preheated oven at 350* for 20-25 minutes or until wooden pick comes out slightly sticky.  Drizzle caramel over warm brownies.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.  Cut into bars.
*add 1 TB milk to caramels and melt over low heat.

ooh... just a thought... I wonder how this would taste with a little bit of course salt sprinkled on the caramel. I mean, a very little bit of salt, but that sweet and salty combination might be perfect for this rich dessert.

Coconut Nut Frosting

My mother-in-law used to make this for my husband's birthday cake when he was little.  It's got a lot more substance than the canned frosting, although I love that stuff too.

Mint Ice Cream

Very much like the Lemon Ice Cream, this is another favorite from Lizzy R.

Lemon Ice Cream

Lemon homemade ice cream: I can't think of many better summer treats.  This one is particularly pleasing, and of course, from the Liz R. collection.


3 1/2 c. sugar
1 can milk
3/4 tsp. salt
3 qt. half&half
1 pt. heavy cream
1 oz. vanilla extract
2 oz. lemon extract (not juice)

Heat sugar, milk & salt til dissolved.  Cool a bit.  Combine with all ingredients in ice cream maker.  Layer ice and salt around canister.

Fruit Crisp

This recipe is from my good friend, Jill W.  This is the best fruit crisp I have ever had.  I was a little bit addicted to it for about 2 years.  I've given my family a little reprieve from it, but I think it's time to rip this recipe out again.  It's amazing.  Thanks so much J!

Delicious Cinnamon Rolls

Elizabeth D. is basically your standard Superwoman extraordinaire!  This is her amazing cinnamon roll recipe.  It's even lower fat than your basic recipe, because Liz rocks like that. 

Key Lime Cream Cheese Pie

This is such a versatile pie!  You can add cherries or blueberries on top and make it a fruit cream pie.  And it's no bake, which makes it easy to put together!

Holiday Slush

This frozen treat is so delicious!  I don't know why I wait until the holidays to make it.  With the oranges, pineapple and cherries, it's also so colorful!  (and I LOVE colors!)  Give it plenty of time to freeze.  (I've even frozen it in ice cube trays sprayed with non-stick spray, so it's already the perfect size.)  Thanks Lizzy R. for this favorite recipe!  Oh, my mouth is already watering just thinking of this!

Zucchini Brownies

I used to grow zucchini, and I loved new ideas for using them.  (When my husband could bear to part with his beloved squash.  He loves fried zucchini and would eat it every day of the zucchini season if he could.)  This recipe is especially moist and rich.  It was given to me by my sweet neighbor whom my kids call Grammy Grace.

Macaroon Cupcakes

This is a delightful little spin-off from the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes.  I can never decide which I like more.  I think I'm going to try this recipe with chocolate cake mix next.  It will be like a lovely Almond Joy in cupcake form.  I love making these cupcakes mini-size for sharing with friends.  They are so pretty!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

I made the cutest little mini cupcakes for a Christmas party this week.  Now I have to make them again and take pictures, because they were so dainty.  Here's the recipe (Thanks to Wendy Lee for sharing).